Show-top



(No Model.)

H. 'GOLDMAN.

SHOW TOP.

No. 541,927. Patented July 2, 1895.

6 is a side elevation of the same.

NI'IED STATES ATENT- rrrcn.

HENRIETTA GOLDMAN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SHOW-TOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 54 ,927, dated July 2,1895.

Application filed April 13, 1895.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRIETTA GOLDMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Show- Tops, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in glass show tops and consists in the novel arrangement and combination of parts more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my invention with the terminal side bars in section showing the location of the operating springs therein. Fig. 2 is a section on line 00-02 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view along the same section line showing the movable or sliding cover depressed a suitable distance. Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of one end of top of frame with the abutting strip and top rail removed. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the top of one of the side bars. Fig. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the end of the top abutting strip showing the parts that fit on to the top portion of the side bars, and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one end of the sliding rail and means for attaching thereto the glass cover.

The present invention is an improvement on the construction of show top described in United States Letters Patent granted to Samuel S. Goldman September 18, 1894, No. 526,186, and it has for its object to materially simplify that construction whereby a much more desirable form of show top will result. To this end I have constructed a show top which in detail may be described as follows:

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a 7 frame having lateral terminal bars 2 2, each bar having two adjacent parallel inner grooves 3 and 4 respectively running preferably the full length of each bar. 'Into the inner of said grooves, or groove 3 is inserted and fixed a glass front plate 5, a suitable groove 6 being formed in the lower bar 7 of the frame for the reception of its lower edge. When once inserted it is permanently secured in the frame by glaziers,putty or the like.

Serial No. 545,665. (No model.)

rubber and the'like, the same being of aform to well embrace the upper edge of said plate. Within the second or outer groove 4 is adapted to slide the upper rail 9 the said rail having suitable laterally projecting tongues 10 formed in continuation of the upper surface of the rail and operating within the groove to make a close joint. The under surface of the rail 9 is provided with a groove 11 for the reception of the glass plate or movable cover 12 the said plate being additionally supported by the supporting strip 13 whose upper end has an expanded portion 14 adapted to embrace the sides and outer end of the tongue 10, the strips proper embracing the sides of the glass 12, their lower ends being connected in any mechanical manner to the lower strip 15 (similar to the strip 8) which embraces the lower edge of the glass 12. Each of the grooves 4 has an enlarged and substantiallycylindrical extension or groove 16 across which the tongues 10 extend, into which chambers can be inserted freely a coiled compression spring 17, the said spring resting on the bottom of the extension 16, and before being compressed extends the full length or height of the bars. (See Fig. 1.) Upon the upper ends of the springs 17 are adapted to rest the lower surfaces of the tongues 10 (that is, after the top rail 9 with its attached glass 12 constituting the movable cover have been properly inserted into the frame from above) in this way supporting the movable cover after its insertion into the frame. With the parts oncein position, it is apparent that the movable cover can be pressed downward or opened against the resiliency of the supporting springs, and it can be held in any adjusted position by a locking device or latch 18 pivoted along the inner face of one of the bars 2, and provided with a series of shoulders 19 against any one of which the upper edge of the rail of the movable cover can be brought to bear. When the latch is pressed out of engagement, the springs 17 will throw or raise the movable cover upward thus closing the same.

To give a neat finish to the frame and at the same time provide a lender or abutting surface for the upper rail as it is suddenly forced to its closed position by the springs, I

form along the rear of the upper end of each bar 2 an outer shoulder 20 and an inner shoulder 21 (the said shoulders being respectively in line with the grooves 3 and 4). Along the lower shoulder is adapted to rest one end of the lower edge of the vertical member 22 of the upper right angled abutting strip 23, whose terminal reduced ends 24 are adapted to rest on the upper shoulder 21, the offset 25 of the abutting strip resulting from the cutting out of the reduced end, being adapted to rest against the upper end of the innersurface of the bar 2, as best seen in dottedlines in Fig. 5. The vertical member 22 is permanently secured by screws 26 to the vertical wall between the two shoulders 20 and 21 of each bar 2, the whole thus presenting a neat and compact finish, the entire under surface of theabutting strip 23servingasan abutting surface or buffer for the movable cover if the latter should accidentally be suddenly closed or forced upward by the resilient action of the springs 17.

The strip 23 and its vertical member 22 are preferably made of one piece of wood or other material, and in case of wood a lianged-headed nail 30 is driven in at the angle near the end of the strip to prevent splitting of the parts at this point.

It is seen that my present device presents many advantages over that described in the patent above referred to. The springs operating the movable cover are freely inserted into the chambers 16 dispensing with screws and fastening devices for securing the springs to the frame. A compression spring acts more accurately and is susceptible of finer adjustment. The entire upper strip 23 acts as a buffer for the movable cover thus distributing the impact which under the old construction was confined to a single point. The tongues 10 extending across the entire width of the grooves 4 and their extensions 16 serve to support the movable cover on top of the springs operating the same.

Having described my invention, what I claim is I 1. A show top comprising a suitable frame, a cover for the same composed of a sliding and fixed portion, grooves in the sides of the frame, extensions for said grooves, an upper rail for the sliding cover, tongues projecting from the ends of the sliding rail and extending across the grooves and their extensions, springs confined within the extensions and adapted to support the tongues of the sliding rail, and an abutting strip for the sliding cover extending the length of the frame, substantially as set forth.

' 2. A show top comprising a suitable frame, a cover for the same composed of a sliding and fixed portion, grooves in the sides of the frame, enlarged extensions for said grooves, an upper rail for the sliding cover, tongues projecting from the ends of the sliding rail flush with the upper surface thereof across said grooves and their extensions and making a close joint with the former, resilient coiled springs loosely confined within the extensions and adapted to support thelower surfaces of the tongues of the sliding rail, and an abutting strip for said sliding cover substantially as set forth.

3. In a show top, a frame having lateral terminal bars, consecutive shoulders formed in the rear of the upper end of each bar, a right angled abutting strip having one member adapted to rest at its opposite ends on the lower shoulder of the side bar, a terminal reduced end on the other member of the abutting strip adapted to bear against the second or upper shoulder of the side bar, an offset at the base of the reduced end adapted to bear against the inner face of the upper end of the side bar, and suitable fastening devices for securing the abutting rail or strip to the side bars, substantially as set forth.

4. In a show top, a suitable frame, grooves at opposite ends of the same, a sliding cover having an upper rail, tongues for said rail adapted to slide within the grooves, a plate for said cover, lateral supporting strips for said plate embracing the opposite edges of the same, an expanded portion for each strip embracing the sides and the end of each tongue, and means for securing the strips to the tongue, substantially as set forth. 7

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. .her HENRIETTA GOLDMAN.

mark \Vitnessesz- ALFRED A. MATHEY, EMIL STAREK. 

